Web fastener



Feb. 14, 1967 E. N. CAFFE WEB FASTENER Filed March 15, 1965 DW/A/ A! 64/8 6 INVENTOR United States Patent 3,304,022 WEB FASTENER Edwin N. Caffe, Hollywood, Calif., assignor of fifty percent to Roman A. Di Meo, Alhambra, Calif. Filed Mar. 15, 1965, Ser. No. 439,902 10 Claims. (Cl. 24274.2)

This invention relates to a tape or film fastener and more particularly to a detachable clip fastener for securing the end of a ribbon of film or recording tape to a reel or spool.

The problem of securing the end of a ribbon of film or tape to a reel or spool preliminary to winding the same thereabout has long existed. Heretofore, clamps or fasteners utilized to accomplish this result have proven unsatisfactory in that they would tend to tear the ribbon end. In addition, once the clamp or fastener was used to secure the ribbon end to the reel or spool prior to Winding the same therein, it was necessary that the clamp or fastener remain permanently in that position until the ribbon was completely unwound therefrom.

In the device of the present invention, the clip fastener not only does not tear the ribbon end, but may be removed from the reel or spool without unwinding the ribbon therefrom.

Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide a new and novel clip fastener for securing the end of a ribbon of film or tape to reels and spools without tearing the same.

Another object is to provide a simple clip fastener for securing the end of a ribbon of film or tape to reels and spools which may be removed from the same without unwinding the ribbon therefrom.

Other objects and advantages will be readily apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of the clip fastener embodying the principles ofthe present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side sectional view taken on the line 22 of the clip fastener of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 33 of the clip fastener of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the clip fastener of FIGS. 1-3; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the clip fastener of FIGS. 1-4 installed in a conventional reel or spool.

Referring more particularly to FIGS. 1-4, the numeral designates generally a cylindrical body which is adapted to be accommodated in a conventional reel or spool hub opening (as best seen in FIG. 5). Body 10 is provided with an annular flange which seats body 10 in the hub opening of a reel or spool at a predetermined depth. Longitudinally extending from body 10 is a finger 12 which is rigidly fixed thereto. Rigid finger 12 is provided with a pair of outwardly extending supports 13 to which is pivotally secured movable lever arm 14 by means of pin 15. A small torsional spring 16 or the like maintains lever arm 14 in a preset closed position as best seen in FIG. 2.

Indexing projection 17 extends outwardly from body 10 and is in radial alignment with movable lever arm 14. Indexing projection 17 serves a dual function. First of all, it positively positions the clip fastener body 10 in proper alignment in the hub opening so that movable lever arm 14 is capable of pivotal movement in a plane passing through the conventional hub opening slit 22 (as in FIG. 5) and the axis of the fastener body. Secondly, indexing projection 17 serves as an abutment shoulder against which movable lever arm 14 seats when the latter is in its fully closed position. Movable lever arm 14 seats against projection 17 so that end 18 of said lever arm is maintained at a predetermined distance from body 10 thereby leaving a gap 19 therebetween.

FIG. 5 illustrates the relation of the clip fastener to a conventional reel or spool. As shown, body 10 of the fastener is accommodated in conventional hub opening 20 provided by reel 21. Indexing projection 17 (not visible) is fitted into slit 22 of reel 21, thereby concomitantly positioningmovable lever arm 14 into slit 22. Annular flange 11 is seated on the surface of reel 21 thereby limiting the axial displacement of body 10 of the fastener to a predetermined depth within the hub opening 20. As illustrated, movable lever arm 14 is in its closed position after having been clipped over end 23 of ribbon 24, thereby drawing a loop of said ribbon into slit 22 of the reel. As reel 21 is rotated in the direction of arrow B, ribbon 24 is fed in the direction of arrow C from an extraneous source, such as a fully loaded reel or spool.

To use the clip fastener of the present invention, body 10 is positioned over hub opening 20 of reel 21 and rotated about its axis until indexing projection 17 thereof is aligned with slit 22 of reel 21. Body 10 is then axially inserted into hub opening 20 until annular flange carried by body 10 is seated upon the surface of reel 21. Lateral pressure is asserted against end 26 of movable lever arm 14 so as to displace said end 26 inwardly towards rigid finger 12 (in the direction shown by arrow A in FIG. 2). End 18 of movable lever arm 14 is thus simultaneously displaced away from body 10 (in the direction shown by arrow A in FIG. 2) thereby increasing the opening of gap 19.

End 23 of ribbon 24 of the film or tape is placed across the slit 22 of reel 21 in expanded gap 19. The lateral pressure exerted on end 26 of movable lever arm 14 is then released, thereby allowing end 18 of said lever arm 14 to be retracted to its original closed position by virtue of the action of torsion spring 16. Upon the retraction of end 18 of movable lever arm 14 into slit 22, a loop of the ribbon 24 is also drawn into slit 22 and is loosely retained therein until sufl'icient ribbon is laid thereover to permanently retain the ribbon end 23 in engagement with the reel hub.

As aforesaid, gap 19 has a preset dimension which is at least partly determined by the abutting of movable lever arm 14 against indexing projection 17. Gap 19 allows end 23 of ribbon 24- to be sufficiently retained until permanent securement is provided by an overlapping layer of ribbon, yet provides sufiiciently loose engagement thereof so as to allow end 23 to slip slightly upon the application of a tensional load on ribbon 24 when reel 21 is rotated in a direction indicated by arrow B. This arrangement eliminates tearing or stretching of the ribbon or tape of film.

It should be noted that when movable lever arm 14 is in its fully closed position, said lever arm 14 does not radially protrude beyond the diameter of the reel hub 25. Thus, even though layers of ribbon 24 overlap slit 22 of reel 21, the clip fastener may be axially extracted from hub opening 20 without disturbing said layers of ribbon, and may then be reused without unwinding the ribbon from hub 25. Since end 23 of the ribbon is only loosely retained in cap 19 of the fastener, extracting of the (fastener does not disturb the ribbon end or damage the same.

While one embodiment of the invention has been described, it is understood that the particular embodiment of the invention herein disclosed is for illustrative purposes only and that various changes may be made therein without departing from the principles of the invention or the scope of the annexed claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a web fastener for securing a tape end to a reel, the combination comprising: a body for positioning the fastener in said reel; a lever arm pivotally secured to said body, said lever arm being initially maintained with the lower end thereof in predetermined spaced relation to said body; means attached to said lever arm for maintaining and returning. said lever arm to its original position inspaced relation to said body; and means provided by said body for providing constant vertical location of said body in said reel.

2.-In a web fastener for securing a tape end to a reel the comlbination described in claim 1, wherein the body is cylindrical and adapted to be accommodated ina hu b opening of the reel and the lever arm extends in longitudinal alignment 'with the axis of said rbody.

3. In a web fastener for securing a tape end to a reel, the combinationdescri'bed in claim 1, wherein the means for maintaining and returning the lever arm to its original position in spaced relation to thebody is a torsion spring and the means for providing constant vertical body location in the reel is an outwardly radially extending flange provided by the body.

4. In a web fastener for securing a tape end to a reel, the combination described in claim 1, wherein the body is cylindrical and adapted to be accommodated in a hub openingof the reel, the-lever arm extends in longitudinal alignment with the axis of said body, means for maintaining and returning the lever arm. to its original position in spaced'relation to the body is a torsion spring, and the means for providing constant vertical body location in the reel is an outwardly radially extending flange provided by the :body.

5. In a web fastener for securing a tape end to a reel, thecombination comprising: a cylindrical body; indexing means secured to said body to provide constant alignment of said body relative to said reel; a lever arm pivotally secured to said body and longitudinally extending relative to theaxis thereof, said lever arm having the lower end thereof in preset spaced relation to said body, said lever arm adapted to be pivoted in a plane passing through the axis of said body; spring means positioned between said body and said lever arm for returning said lever arm to its initial preset position in spaced relation to said body and for maintaining the same in said preset position; and means carried by said body for constant vertical location thereof in said reel.

*6. In a web fastener for securing a tape end to a reel, the combination comprising: a body; an arm pivotally secured to said :body, said arm capable of limited rotation in a plane passing through the axis of said body, at least a portion of said arm being laterally spaced from said body so as to provide a gap of predetermined dimension therebetwee-n; indexing means provided by said body, said indexing means adapted to locate said body in a predetermined position relative to said reel; means carried by said body for limiting the axial positioning of said body in said reel.

7. In a clip [fastener for securing a tape end to a reel, the combination described in claim 6', wherein said body is cylindrical and has torsion spring means for limiting the arm rotation and maintaining the gap between said body and said arm.

8. In a web fastener for securing a tape end to a reel, the combination described in claim 6, wherein said indexing means is an outwardly extending projection carried by said body in lateral alignment with the direction of the rotational movement of said arm, and the means for limiting the axial position of said body in the reel is a flange outwardly extending from the body adapted to engage the outer surface of the reel.

9. In a web fastener for securing a tape end to a reel, the combination described in claim 6', wherein said body is cylindrical and adapted to be accommodated in a hub opening of the reel, the lever arm extends in longitudinal alignment with the axis of said body, and wherein said indexing means is an outwardly extending projection provided by the body.

10. In a web fastener for securing a tape end to a reel, the combination comprising: a cylindrical body; said body having an outwardly extending flange for axially locating said body at a predetermined depth in the reel, said body being provided with an outwardly extending indexing projection for properly aligning said body with said reel; a lever arm pivotally secured to said body, said lever arm longitudinally etxending relative to the axis of said body, said lever arm adapted to be pivoted in a plane passing through the axis of said body, the lower end of said lever arm being in preset spaced relation to said body so as to form'a gap therebetween; and spring means positioned between said lever arm and said body for returning said lever arm to its initial preset position in spaced relation to said body and for maintaining the same in said preset position.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,216,967 2/ 1917 Dunavant 242-74.2 3,062,468 1l/1'962 Braun 24274 3,220,664 11/ 1965 Whitnah 24274.l 3,220,665 11/ 1965 Modrey 24274.l

FRANK J. COHEN, Primary Examiner. N. L. MINTZ Examiner. 

1. IN A WEB FASTENER FOR SECURING A TAPE END TO A REEL, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING: A BODY FOR POSITIONING THE FASTENER IN SAID REEL; A LEVER ARM PIVOTALLY SECURED TO SAID BODY, SAID LEVER ARM BEING INITIALLY MAINTAINED WITH THE LOWER END THEREOF IN PREDETERMINED SPACED RELATION TO SAID BODY; MEANS ATTACHED TO SAID LEVER ARM FOR MAINTAINING AND RETURNING SAID LEVER ARM TO ITS 